Conventional devices for providing movement to a camera tripod or similar mounting device are used primarily to facilitate the transport of equipment between uses, but do not provide the sufficiently steady or defined motion necessary to enable smooth image capture while the camera tripod is moving. Specifically, such devices include dollies, which typically include a platform base having multiple wheels extending from a lower side, while the legs of a tripod or similar mounting device are engaged with the upper side. Some dollies include an integral mounting pole or similar protruding member for direct engagement with a camera, without requiring a tripod or intermediate mounting device. In addition to a lack of suitability for use capturing images while moving, these devices are typically expensive, and may be heavy and cumbersome to transport. While the transportability of recording equipment has been enhanced somewhat through the use of tripods having integral, retractable, and/or removable wheels, such transportation has proven unsuitable for use during recording of images.
Most often, when attempting to capture smooth, continuous video images or similar images that require movement of a camera, extensive and costly studio equipment is required. For example, a video camera may be fixedly mounted on tracks or rails that extend along a selected path, and the camera may be moved thereon, such as through use of motors or other means of locomotion. Alternatively, to provide the appearance of a moving camera, a series of adjacent cameras (e.g., a light field array) may be used to capture still images in rapid succession, which may then be compiled together to create the appearance of camera movement; however, the expense of this technique is substantial. Thus, both of these methods require significant time, equipment, and expense, making them prohibitive for amateur and/or recreational use, or for use in applications where portability and speed are required. As such, a need exists for systems and methods for adapting a mounting device to facilitate capturing of images that are suitable for use during recording of images, inexpensive, portable, and efficient to install and remove, as needed.